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Lone Tree council approves In-N-Out Burger

California fast-food restaurant will be able to have 90 customers at once

An artist's rendition of the In-N-Out Burger proposed to go near the Park Meadows mall.

Executives for In-N-Out Burger aim to open both of its first Colorado locations on the same day — they just won't say when exactly.

On Nov. 19, Aaron Anderson, project manager for In-N-Out Burger, presented before Lone Tree City Council to give details about the plans to bring the fast-food chain to the Park Meadows area. Council and Mayor Jackie Millet ultimately approved the site improvement plan 5-0.

Anderson said In-N-Out never announces its opening date or holds a grand opening ceremony to ensure Day One is the same as Day 100. Anderson said the company has Day One goals of opening two Colorado In-N-Out locations on the same day. Construction is expected to be completed by January 2021.

“We are truly blessed to have this opportunity and we make it our mission to be good stewards of the community and to do our part to make your home a stronger, safer and better place to live,” Anderson said to begin his presentation.

In-N-Out is planning to build a distribution center and a restaurant in Colorado Springs. The franchise eventually wants to build in Fort Collins as well.

The city released site plans for the burger joint, which will replace the Suds Factory Car Wash at 9171 E Westview Road between Mike's Camera and a Bank of America branch. The site is just south of County Line Road in the Park Meadows shopping district.

The plans call for a 26-car drive-thru that may be attended by up to eight employees at once. It would be In-N-Out's second busiest drive-thru, behind the location near Los Angeles International Airport, which can hold 30 cars.

Millet commented that she expected people to still walk to the restaurant whether from the Park Meadows mall, nearby hotels or via the Link On Demand.

The 3,867-square-foot property will have space for 46 cars. The site improvement plan states the restaurant will be able to accommodate as many as 90 people at one time, 74 inside and 16 outside.

“The proposal before you tonight is meant to anticipate our expected growth over the next 15 to 20 years,” Anderson said.

In response to feedback from the city and public, Anderson announced changes to the original site plan that include the addition of a two-way turn lane on Westview Road, an extension of the turn pocket on Parkland Road and installation of “Keep Clear” signage east of the Fidelity Drive connection to the public right-of-way and three additional “No Parking” side along the west side of a common access road.

Mike Pepper, owner of the Fidelity Investments building that is directly east of the property, emailed council concerns about car capacity and traffic with the proposal. At the Nov. 19 meeting, he said he was happy about In-N-Out's willingness to changes to accommodate traffic.

“I came to say that I'm in support and I have personal experience as developer in the city, and I know what it's like to be the applicant so I wanted to give my appreciation to Mr. Anderson and In-N-Out for agreeing to make some of the changes,” Pepper said. “In the long run, I think the most important part is the city's ability to monitor parking and traffic.”

Councilmember Mike Anderson said he felt the details of the presentation satisfied his concerns with traffic in the area.

“I think the traffic issue is the most important issue in terms of an ongoing concern we have in the city with traffic congestion," Mike Anderson said. “I look forward to you managing that problem.”

Millet said it speaks to the good work of In-N-Out and city staff that council had few questions about the site plan. Addressing Aaron Anderson, Millet said she appreciated the group's engagement with the city and public to this point.

“We certainly anticipate a bump in traffic when you open and we hope and expect to experience the wonderful food, should this be passed,” Millet said. “We appreciate you being engaged with the process throughout and not just being there on opening day.”

“We are disgusted by the behavior of the officers in Minnesota,” Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock told members of the Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee. “Those were bad cops, and if they work for any sheriff in this room they would have been fired just the same.”